Caring for the earth

DONNA Carrier of Bent on Food Wingham represented the Manning Valley community at a prestigious climate change retreat at Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef from May 30 to June 1.

The workshop, which brought together current and future community leaders from around Australia, was hosted by Earth Hour and builds on the successful "Lights Out for the Reef" campaign from earlier this year.

Earth Hour organisers say that 31 per cent of Australians participated in Earth Hour 2014, which also included the world first "Lights Out for the Reef" documentary broadcast on Network Ten.

The workshop was the next stage in the roll out of a new look Earth Hour which will involve year-round community action on climate change, building on the Lights Out moment in March each year.

Donna was one of just 40 community ambassadors selected to attend, and one of 1100 Earth Hour event organisers from around Australia.

Bent on Food organised an event that included antipasto platters by candlelight with local band, Up in Annie's Room playing acoustically. Candles were made by Natures Gold Honey from local beeswax.

"I was delighted to be selected as one of just 40 community ambassadors from around Australia.

"Climate change is an issue which impacts us all, and I'm glad to be doing my part and representing the Manning Valley community and beyond.

"Bent on Food has been promoting and delivering consumers a menu designed around local produce for almost 10 years now, with a kitchen garden and our own property also supplying some of our produce.

"We are reducing our carbon miles by working with producers to grow for our needs. This role gives me a platform to lobby our leaders to take action on climate change.

"We have already seen the effects of climate change in our region with drought having an impact on supply of local produce. Droughts and bushfires cause economic, environmental and social impacts and can be devastating for farmers.

"The great news is we know how to fix it, we just all need to be doing our part.

"This is the critical decade for action on climate and I'm proud that our community has the potential to show real leadership."